Fireplace Directory

Archive for the ‘Fireplace Accessories’ Category

Moroccan Bedroom: Revitalize and Relax

The bedroom is your private space in the house and it is the place to relax. Unfortunately, most people use the bedroom to just sleep. A bedroom if properly utilized can be a place for relaxation, meditation and even have a small massage table. Everyone comes back home tired after their day at work to get some rest. Rest doesn’t necessarily mean sleeping. Rest can be anything from watching television to getting a relaxing massage or playing checkers. Every bedroom has almost the same furniture, which is a bed and tables, some decorations, curtains etc. So what is the best way to convert your bedroom into a relaxing suite and at the same time add some color to it?

First let us understand that the bed is a place where you take rest. To make it more comfortable you can use double cushions and colorful bed sheets or a bed spread. One of the finest ways to redesign your bedroom is by using Moroccan bedroom decor. Today, Moroccan decor is an extremely popular interior design option for most modern homes as well as eco homes. This is because the Moroccan bedroom decor includes the use of dramatic colors as well as toned colors, which bring to life the beautiful and intricately designed patterns on the elegant Moroccan fabrics. Converting a bedroom into an exotic Moroccan dream is an exciting as well as a tedious option but the result can be absolutely magical. You can choose anything from the exquisite Moroccan furniture to the colorful Moroccan bedding and other decorations that will set your heart on fire and bring out the deep fires of passion.

Moroccan bedroom accessories come in a huge variety to satisfy every taste and fit in snugly in every bedroom. Most of the Moroccan bedding designs are in spicy colors and can be customized to match the color scheme on your bedroom walls. You can use a Moroccan bed or make one on the ground. If you make a bed that has the minimum ground clearance then you can give it an earthy feel and touch with more browns, beige and other earth color

Bedspreads-Pillows:

You can add some equally colorful pillows or cushions to give your bedroom the ethnic look. Moroccan fabrics are soft and have embroidered silk will that will provide that exotic look. For example, a tribal bedspread is hand made and stitched. It has detailed embroidery and features small mirrors amidst a hue of brilliant colors than can vary from gold, sage, or chocolate on a cinnamon background. Imagine the impact of such a color; it will give your bed an earthen touch and feel. If you don’t like bright colors then you can look a Berber bed spread, which comes in tones of blue, purple and sage. Absolutely relaxing for the eyes, it has intricate designs that are hand stitched.

Nightstands, Accent Tables and Shelves:

Zouaga Furniture is a typical Moroccan design from the Berber tribal mountains of the Atlas. Hand painted furniture with bright colors and improvised designs and shapes from shelves to the world renowned hexagonal tables and nightstands. Moroccan nightstands have gained popularity in the past few years, mainly made with Mousharabiya wood (hand carved wood) they are also available with wrought iron screens.

Wrought Iron Screens, Dividers and headboards:

Moroccan wrought iron screens can be used for many different uses… As a headboard, room dividers, Fireplace screens, wall decor, to hang a lamp from, as a balcony screen… well you get the idea

Moroccan Lighting:

It is almost like being pampered with royalty and to bring the bedroom to life you can splash the walls with relaxing colors and use Moroccan accessories like the henna lamps to brighten it. You can also add a center table or a dressing table with Moroccan designs and intricately cut through the wood to make it look rusty and dreamy at the same time. For the creative soul in you can transform on of the Moroccan carved hexagonal tables into a piece of lighting itself. If you have used a wrought iron screen as a headboard you may want to consider using a matching wrought iron ceiling chandelier.

You can also add some really sensuous and mystical touch of Moroccan design to your bedroom with mood lighting Moroccan candle lamps. These lamps are not to be used as just showpieces; they can change the entire decor of your bedroom and give it a touch of warmth. You can choose from a wide variety of Moroccan lamps and lanterns that come with exotic designs and beautiful colored glasses. You can place them on the bed table or hand them by the bedroom entrance.

The flickering flame from the Moroccan lamp will add fuel to the fire of romance and remind you of a faraway dream.

Moe Tamani
http://www.articlesbase.com/furniture-articles/moroccan-bedroom-moroccan-bedroom-revitalize-and-relax-291503.html

Many of us are enamored with older homes from another era, replete with charm and character. However, living in a character-filled home built one hundred years ago can sometimes be a challenge. Compromises may be required. Creating your own modern living space with all of today’s conveniences within a traditionally-built environment can be challenge, but is not impossible. 

One particular room that is often challenging for older home owners, is the living room. Traditionally, the living room was a place to greet visitors or where a family might listen to music. The kitchen and the dining room where the rooms where a family would congregate and entertain friends. The living room may be very small, but it often includes beautiful decorative plaster moulding, wide window trim and a wood burning Fireplace. We have to keep in mind that today’s electronic lifestyle was not a consideration in how interior space was designed when the home was built about a hundred years ago. This is the reason why compromises will be needed when planning the furnishing and decorating of such a room.  

Decorative architectural details of older homes can create an inherent interest in the space and set the tone for room’s decor. It is therefore important that the basic architecture of a room and the introduced details (furniture) don’t clash. 

Attempting to cram large pieces of furniture into a small space will result in someone always bumping into one piece or another. Consider the use of demi sofas, love seats, chairs and ottomans. If your living space is like most older homes, you probably have a large window (possibly a bay window) on one wall and a fireplace on another. Take advantage of the depth of a large bay window by arranging furniture at an angle around it. This will give the room more floor space. 

Should your room include a radiator, consider building a radiator cover or using a sofa table in front of it to provide with an horizontal surface. Also, to preserve precious floor space, consider installing wall mounted fixtures throughout the room for a splash of soft, ambient light on every wall. Another option for a space saving source of light would be the use of a traditional torchere lamp. These lamps are floor lamps and the light comes out of the top and bounces of the ceiling. 

If you wish to include a television set in your living room, consider investing in a flat panel, wall mounted, television. This television can be installed above the fireplace saving you precious floor space. Wall mounted televisions are also a little more subtle and can sometimes almost disappear in a room.  

Regardless of your personal taste and decorating preferences, try to select furniture and accessories that will harmonize themselves with the architectural details of your room. Also, remember to choose smaller size furniture pieces which will give the room an airy feel and prevent minor injuries. Rethink your space and adapt new furniture to suit the way you live. 

Todd Vurinaris
http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/furnishing-challenges-of-an-older-home-678360.html

Decorating with red…..

Red brings certain energy to a room.

Research has shown that red stimulates conversation and appetite which is what makes it a fabulous choice for the dining room. I love to see a dramatic red dining room…it makes me feel like settling in and lingering over a tasty meal and spicy conversation! Red walls seem to energize the conversation of those lingering around the table.

Red rooms convey a feeling of intimacy, which makes red a wonderful choice not just for dining rooms, but for bedrooms as well.

Red in a bedroom invites romance and passion! An all red bedroom may be too much for some, however, adding just a few touches of red with accessories such as artwork, picture frames, vases or pillows can go a long way in spicing things up a bit. If red walls are a bit too risky for you to consider then why not consider red and white bedding. You’ll feel the energy and romance of red, but when it is mixed with white the feeling will be light and fresh. Add a few red candles, some red roses and you’ve got yourself the beginnings of a romantic retreat.

Red is a bold color…it says “look at me”…it draws attention to itself…which makes it the perfect choice for focal point areas you want to draw attention to. Imagine beautiful red silk drapery panels framing a window featuring a beautiful view, a collection of red vases or candlesticks on the mantel of a Fireplace, or a striking red chest in the entryway, all are perfect examples of adding the boldness of red without it feeling out of balance.

Red is also a perfect choice for bringing a rather quiet monochromatic room to life. Richly textured red velvet, chenille or silk pillows on a cream colored sofa really pop and a red lamp on the table in the corner suddenly connects that corner with the rest of the room.

Spice up your table with touches of red dinnerware and glassware. Add a collection of red canisters to your countertop. If red is not a color you want to use everyday then look for inexpensive elements you can use occasionally. Items such as cloth napkins, tasteful paper goods, coasters, napkin rings, or even a table runner. These items can be mixed with many other colors to add an energetic feel to your next get together. And if it’s a romantic dinner for two that you’re cooking up scatter some red rose petals around the table and pour some robust red wine!

Where can you see red?

Copyright 2009 Kathleen Ellis

For more romantic and elegant lifestyle ideas I’d like to invite you to sign up for my free bi-weekly newsletter at www.kathleenellis.blogspot.com. Twice a month you’ll receive easy, elegant and romantic ideas for decorating, entertaining and living the romantic life.

Kathleen Ellis
http://www.articlesbase.com/interior-design-articles/bold-and-beautiful-redromantic-spicy-and-energetic-740596.html

The sheer aesthetic appeal of a classic, old-fashioned fireplace is absolutely stunning. Unfortunately, these beautiful home installations are often quite expensive and cumbersome, particularly in times of economic hardship. Credit crunches and the current recession are making it difficult to get the perfect fireplace for your home, as you have to worry about the fireplace itself as well as maintenance fees, accessories, and the recurring and consistent costs of fuel. This expense seems unnecessary, and may even be a little daunting. So, what should you do? Consider investing in a heating device that is affordable, fairly lightweight and portable, easy to install, and fuel-efficient; a heating device like an electric fireplace.

There are three cardinal reasons why an electrical fireplace is a cost effective method to warm your home.

It runs on electricity which is a much cheaper fuel than any of wood, oil or gas.

It provides targeted heat, unlike the average thermostat that wastes a lot of energy heating all arts of the home, even the unoccupied rooms.

Also, you will not need to worry about any external costs that accompany fireplace accessories and complementary equipment such as cleaning and maintenance solutions, fire pokers and ash shovels, or strike matches. All that is needed to install this cost effective gadget is an initial payment and the recurring electricity bill every month.

So you see, this is a fantastic way to save a ton of cash that would otherwise go towards wasting energy and inefficiently heating your home. Switch to the more economic option of an electrical Fireplace today.

A BTU is the unit of measuring the amount of heat that is produced by any room heating device. For example 5000 BTU is able to heat a standard room of 500 square foot. Now guess the amount of heat that an electrical fireplace can produce? You will never get this one correctly. 10000 BTUs. Now can you beat that?

An electrical fire place is efficient for an array of important reasons. Not only are they cost effective when I comes to installing but they are also an economic option in the long run. Besides they are very specific in the dispensing of warmth and saves money by not wasting heat in places where not required. In fact if you are dextrous enough to set the initial installations of the fireplace in advance you will never need to increase the thermostat level any more than the lowest setting level. But turning your thermostat off altogether in the winter months is also not a reasonable option as that may result in the freezing of your pipes, something that the lowest degree of the thermostat prevents.

Traditional fireplaces not only need cumbersome accessories but sometimes it needs a complete overhauling of the existing Chimney or rewiring of the same. It is also noteworthy that traditional fireplaces require a constant and costly supply of wood and other fuels such as oil or gas. Electricity, as an energy source, is quite cheaper; but furthermore, the amount of energy used by an electric-powered device is considerably less. They are an extremely economic long run option, with the monthly bill of a regular fireplace coming to a mere 14 cents.

Wyatt Frisk
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/why-everyone-will-want-an-electric-fireplace-in-2009-728933.html

A white Christmas, Pure and simple with feathers

Project creation, article and photo by: Madeleine M Langlois

Hands-on time: Under an hour.

Total time: Under an hour.

Skill: Easy.

Project cost: Under $30.00, depending on the type of feathers you purchase.

Materials & tools:

A square Styrofoam base, 30 cm in length, by 22 cm wide, by 5 cm thick ( if you can’t find one cut out a square center opening inside a square Styrofoam base using a craft knife).

White feathers of your choice such as ostrich, turkey, chicken, eyelash feathers, goose, or chandelle feathered boa’s, strung or individuals.

A ruler

Scissors or clippers

Glue gun, with clear sticks (use a low temperature glue gun)

One meter of satin ribbon, 5cm wide (I used brown)

(Materials for this project are available at craft, fabric, notions and florists’ shops.)

The simplest holiday decorations are often the most charming. For a sleek contemporary holiday look, create your own feathered wreath, table-top tree and decorations.

Feather wreaths are a huge trend in home decor, and they make stunning accessories for any season. They are absolutely spectacular poised on a Fireplace mantel, centered over a large mirror, on a door or hooked casually over a chair.

Festive feather wreaths are graceful yet quite easy to make. Trim any excess fuzz or unwanted tips off of the feathers. Sort them by size and length.

Start by gluing similar feathered lengths horizontally along the four exterior sides of the Styrofoam square base. Using a glue gun with low-temperature glue sticks, glue the feathers on flat on their lengths, side by side in two rows. Do the same thing to cover the square opening of the wreath’s base.

To cover the front surface area of the wreath base, apply a row of feathers along the centre, gluing them one at a time side-by-side, but just the tip part. Start at one end and work your way around the whole base. Add a second layer of feathers to overlap the first row in the same manner, but this time along and around the centre opening border of the base.

Once completed, check the wreath, you might need to secure some feathers with a bit more glue. If you wish, you can secure a wire loop in the back of the wreath for hanging.

For the finishing, I added a plain, deep-chocolate-brown satin ribbon with a bow.

A feathered wreath will last for years. Each holiday, you can give it a fresh new look by just decorating it with a variety of different accessories. Leave the wreath plain or include assorted embellishments such as colourful miniature balls, fresh ivy, a feathered bird, berry clusters, bows and creative wire ornaments.

If you use feather wreaths outdoors, be sure to place them under a covered porch area to avoid direct sunlight or snow. You will want a feather wreath for every season, to hang over a door, on a wall or over a mirror. They make wonderful gifts, too.

Tabletop tree: To make a small cone tree covered with feathers, start by applying a row of feathers with a glue gun at the bottom of the cone base, and keep adding overlapping rows of feathers until the cone base is completely covered all the way to the top. To minimize cost, you can buy an inexpensive feather boa, secure one end to the base with florist’s pins or glue, wrap it around the cone shape and tuck in the end to secure it onto the base.

I applied family photographs of past Christmases onto self-hardening clay circle and square shapes to create an advent calendar tree and attached them onto a white feathered tabletop tree using decorative pins.

Variations: Festive feather wreaths can also be quite dramatic in other colours such as plume, burgundy, red, pink, purple, brown, green, you get the picture. Or mix and blend colours to achieve a two tone or multicoloured presentation.

Feathered wreaths can stylishly adorn a decorative ladder, be used as a base for a large pillar candle which is inside a hurricane or a plain glass base vase. Use feathered wreath to décor your home all year round, a super cute touch on young children’s bedroom doors, such as baby pink or purple.

Use feathers as accents to trim napkin rings, or to grace each table setting, garnish the top of Christmas stockings and gifts.

Assorted feathers types can also be found in party supply or customs stores.

Copyright MaddyLane Designs/Miy Decorations © 2006

For more Miy articles visit www.maddylane.com

Madeleine M Langlois
http://www.articlesbase.com/hobbies-articles/christmas-feathered-wreath-82203.html

Park City, Utah is one of the premier winter ski destinations in the country due to its central location among the Rocky Mountains and spectacular ski resorts that can leave even the most seasoned skiers and snowboarders breathless. Whether you are looking for an amazing ski adventure or a relaxing getaway among breathtaking scenery, your winter vacation can be more memorable than you ever imagined when you takeoff for a Park City mountain retreat.

When you head to a location like Park City, you expect your accommodations to provide stunning views of the snowy terrain that surrounds you. Whether you prefer to be nestled away in the woods, surrounded by snow-covered trees, or perched atop a mountain with an unobstructed view of the gorgeous Rockies, there is a Park City condo or vacation rental that will meet all your needs.

If your image of a winter wonderland includes snow falling gently onto your secluded home as you sip cocoa by the fire, then a Park City home rental that sits slightly off the beaten path is exactly what you need for a relaxing vacation. Enjoy all the fun and excitement of the slopes during the day and then take the short drive back to your lodging for an intimate evening away from the commotion of the town center. You will have all the amenities of home, including a fully-stocked kitchen and plenty of blankets to cozy up to, as you sit around the living room replaying the day’s events.

If the sight of a massive mountain awaiting the appearance of your skis or snowboard gives you the chills, keep the same feeling for the duration of your trip with a rental home that has a clear view of the most beautiful mountain peaks. Every morning you can wake to the sun glistening off the snow and get yourself excited for another great day of cruising down the runs and taking a few spills on the demanding trails. And getting to the lifts is quick and easy since you are only a few short blocks and a refreshing stroll away from the new Park City lift.

Convenience matters most to diehard skiers who plan on spending every spare minute gliding over the soft powder, and if this sounds like you, then you need to stay in a ski in/ski out condo that sits in the heart of Park City on Main Street. Only 50 feet to the Park City Mountain Resort lift, you can cruise to the lift in the morning and then slide essentially to the front door of your condo rental when you are ready to warm up your toes at the end of the day. Get the most ski and snowboarding action out of every day by staying in a cozy, comfortable, and conveniently located condo rental.

If you have more on your agenda than simply hitting the slopes, then stay close to all that is appealing about Park City with a condo rental that is close to not only Deer Valley but also amazing restaurants and fantastic shopping. After a long day of skiing on Deer Valley’s soft snow, take the short walk to the fine restaurants that are waiting to soothe your aches and pains with exquisite cuisine. And if you need to replace a ski cap or gloves, you can find functional and fashionable accessories at the nearby shops.

Park City rentals can be as close to the slopes as you want and provide easy access to the other great parts of this incredible mountain town. In addition to the great location, you can also enjoy all the comforts of home and a few extras such as a hot tub and a roaring Fireplace that will make your vacation more memorable and unique than staying in a cookie cutter hotel. Begin your search for the perfect Park City rental today and escape to your dream mountain getaway where you can truly soak in the beauty all around you and enjoy all these gorgeous mountains have to offer.

Jen W.
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/park-city-rentals-62222.html

Honey, we are going to Paris!

Ah, the joys of preparing for the occasion…

The pleasure of diving into your favorite travel guides (I suggest visiting website Paris-Eiffel-Tower-News.com) to plan out your everyday itinerary… The sheer excitement of stuffing a large suitcase with the entire appropriate garb…

But hold on! Have you thought of leaving enough room in your luggage to bring a few gifts back home?

Bringing back cool gifts. A major important task on your To-Do-When-I’m-There list. Yes, yes, yes. But where will you find nicely original (and attractively inexpensive) stuff?

Well, search no more, I did it for you.

First Gift Opportunity: a Designer Depot

In a previous article I wrote about “designer depots”: small boutiques where it is possible to find vintage or last-season designer garb at very low prices. I like these shops; they are treasures troves where finding a deeply-discounted Chanel suit or Yves Saint Laurent dress is always within the realm of possibilities.

“Chercheminippes” is one of them. The name of the shop is a play on words: it means “searching for clothes” and is a reminder of the street name “Cherche-Midi” (or “searching for noon” in French) where the shop is located.

“Chercheminippes” is not just one shop, but a string of five shops lining the Cherche-Midi Street in the plush 6th district (near the “Sevres-Babylone” metro station, and at walking distance from Saint Germain des Pres). Each shop offers a specific category of items: women’s wear, designer clothes, men’s fashion, child wear, and home decoration.

Every piece of clothing is second-hand but in excellent condition. The owner, Mrs. Bayonne, only buys well-known brands, including French designer brands. She discounts her merchandise by 50% on average.

“Chercheminippes” also offers linen, pens, relatively inexpensive designer jewelry, and various fashion accessories. Unlike traditional designer depot owners, Mrs. Bayonne’s also shops for decorative objects, both contemporary and vintage. There lies more gift potential for you!

Swing by Rue du Cherche-Midi, you will find the five shops tucked between No. 102 and No. 124.

Second Stop on Gift Road

Situated on the ground floor of a private mansion at 9 Place Furstenberg, one of my very favorite places in Paris, “Nolita” carries an unusual assortment of things in a very feminine ‘boudoir’ universe. That prices range from 10 euros to 3,000 euros is an indication of the wide diversity of items on offer. Let’s just say “Nolita” deals in everything that is interior design.

For the shopper looking for singular gifts, the shop presents a vast array of possibilities: linen, tableware, glassware, quaint decorative objects, and even vintage repainted furniture. “Nolita” also carries toiletries, including several lines of soaps. If you are looking for clothing items, the shop may have something for you too.

The owner, Mrs. Lassalle, sources her merchandise from France, Italy and England. Choice and diversity are keywords here, and I think it is unlikely you will leave the shop without a couple of gifts in your shopping bag. I heard “Nolita” is a shopping spot for many American and Japanese travelers.

Place Furstenberg hides between Saint-Germain-des-Pres and the river Seine. You owe it to yourself to discover this quaint area. The closest subway station is Saint-Germain-des-Pres.

The Red Cedar of the Prince Gardener

“Le Cedre Rouge du Prince Jardinier” carries both indoor and outdoor objects. Located at 22 Avenue Victoria, in the very central first district (”Chatelet” subway station), the shop is a cross between the Outpost, Home Depot, Hold Everything, and Williams-Sonoma mail-order catalogues.

There you will find unwieldy by beautiful outdoor furniture made by local craftsmen (tables, lounge chairs and chairs in teak, marble, travertine, and volcanic stone), as well as garden decoration items and tooling (how about a nice red gardener apron and hat? Or a large hemp-fiber bag to carry your groceries in rugged style?).

Fortunately for travelers, “The Red Cedar of the Prince Gardener” also offers more portable indoor objects, including Christmas decorations, a large assortment of perfumed candles and candle-holders, oil lamps, curious plaids and pillows, extraordinary Venetian and vintage glassware, numerous tableware and silverware sets, vases of various shapes and forms, and many other wares of sorts. Even a series of not-seen-elsewhere umbrellas.

I don’t think there is any like shop in Paris. Very unusual, kind of out-of-place, but so interesting it is absolutely worth a visit. And if you fall for a lounge chair or a large Fireplace screen, they will ship it to your home. Ask for Patrice, he’s a most helpful fellow.

Well, these are but a few useful boutiques to visit should you plan on bringing something out of the ordinary from Paris for a friend or a relative. I will continue to shop for more of these places, and let you know whenever I find some I like.

Meanwhile, prepare well for your next trip to Paris!

Phil Chavanne
http://www.articlesbase.com/destinations-articles/bringing-back-gifts-from-paris-81790.html

I know, it is still summer time, but winter will be here before you know it, and before wearing your jackets again you should first be prepared for the seasonal change of your house. In fact, during winter times, we all see our homes as a “nest ” where we can find warmth and relax without shivering to the bone. But is your home a friendly and cozy place for you and those you love? Or is your décor so gloomy that people go outside just to warm up? If you wish to make your home a warm and inviting shelter this winter, read the following advice.

- Decorate your house with slipcovers, pillow cases and accessories in rich warm colors, like red, orange, brown, green and gold. You can also garnish your coffee table or fire place with fall foliage or pine boughs to create that earth-like feeling. Additionally, place treasured pictures of family in warm wood frames all around your house.

- In case you are able to handle a larger project, consider painting your walls in rich shades of red, orange or yellow. That is a wonderful way to brighten your winter days!

- Select to embellish your furniture with soft and plush fabrics that will make you never want to leave the couch or beddings. Cushions and upholstery could be velvet, mohair and chenille. You can also use throws over chairs and sofas as the layering of fabrics adds richness and texture to the room making it more inviting.

- Buy lots of candles. Place them along your dinning table, fireplace, or mid-coffee table and decorate them with beans and small mirrors for an extra lighting effect. Select scents like vanilla or cinnamon as they evoke feelings of comfort.

- If you have a Fireplace, move your sofa and chairs closer to it so as to add to the warmth of the room and in order to add to your house dimension and elegance, consider layering smaller rugs on top of your carpet or main rug, in front of the sofa or armchairs of your living room.

- Add extra lamps instead of overhead lighting for a more intimate ambiance and use drapes to create the feeling of comfort and intimacy.

- Replace frequently your main living room flower arrangements and add more warm-tone accessories like gold, brass and copper.

- Arrange furniture in groups. A cozy reading corner with a comfortable, over-stuffed chair, table and lamp or a small table and a couple of chairs or footstools will be enough for your family members to sit together and relax.

Kadence Buchanan
http://www.articlesbase.com/advertising-articles/winter-house-preparedness-61400.html

Tastes will continuously evolve throughout your life and it is a very good idea to know just when to let one style fade and move on to something new and exciting. It can be both easy and convenient to stay in a decorating rut. After all, to make a serious transition to another decorating style, it is necessary to not only learn about something new-you also need to invest some pretty serious money to truly take it to the next level.

Generally about the time we are ready to move into our first “real home” and out of the apartment mentality, we are prepared to take the next step in the evolution of our interior design scheme. At this stage, we are tired of the lava lamps and other eccentricities of young adulthood and ready to buy some more sophisticated light fixtures, such as: wall sconces, hanging pendants, or even some high quality Dale or Meyda Tiffany reproductions or original stained glass lamps.

It is important to coordinate the base and lampshade with other light fixtures so be sure to stick with the same overall design style when buying lamps, flush mount ceiling fixtures, and anything else you want to illuminate the space with. Finding a style and color/accent scheme that will complement the other furniture in the room is also important when trying to make a subtle but distinct stylistic impression. Finally, remember that there are three distinct types of lighting: ambient, task, and accent. A sophisticated lighting scheme will incorporate all three types for a balanced effect so be sure to leave room in the budget as costs can add up quicker than you think!

If you are lucky and just love a good fire on cold, winter nights-then maybe you bought a home with a fireplace. The hearth is an excellent natural focal point of any living room so be sure to remember this when decorating the space. Buying matching fireplace tools, screens, log baskets, and other hearth accessories will unify the area and make it a more natural focal point.

A mantle makes the perfect setting to display treasured keepsakes, family photos, or even a beautiful candelabra. In the winter, you may want to arrange the sofa, chairs, and coffee tables towards this area as it will naturally help concentrate attention while also expanding and unifying the space.

As we age, our culinary interests and skills tend to grow with us. Therefore, it is perfectly natural to want a more organized, refined, and aesthetically pleasing kitchen as we near thirty or beyond. We may want to add a fine wine rack to the space for social gatherings and to bring a little culture to the kitchen area.

Any culinary master will need to organize and store their prized cooking utensils which is why you need to think about adding a pot rack into the kitchen area. A fine pot rack will not only help organize your cooking utensils-it will send a subtle signal to all that enter your domain-Beware, someone in here knows how to cook!

We have not even scratched the surface when it comes to adding style and sophistication to your space. Our five simple ideas (coordinating light fixtures, complementary Fireplace tools, decorate mantle, wine rack, pot rack) to bring sophistication to rooms in your home can be incorporated easily and without great expense. Just remember-a more sophisticated home will require a more involved interior design effort!

Pamela Tice
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/five-simple-ways-to-give-home-sophistication-108561.html

Tastes will continuously evolve throughout your life and it is a very good idea to know just when to let one style fade and move on to something new and exciting. It can be both easy and convenient to stay in a decorating rut. After all, to make a serious transition to another decorating style, it is necessary to not only learn about something new-you also need to invest some pretty serious money to truly take it to the next level.

Generally about the time we are ready to move into our first “real home” and out of the apartment mentality, we are prepared to take the next step in the evolution of our interior design scheme. At this stage, we are tired of the lava lamps and other eccentricities of young adulthood and ready to buy some more sophisticated light fixtures, such as: wall sconces, hanging pendants, or even some high quality Dale or Meyda Tiffany reproductions or original stained glass lamps.

It is important to coordinate the base and lampshade with other light fixtures so be sure to stick with the same overall design style when buying lamps, flush mount ceiling fixtures, and anything else you want to illuminate the space with. Finding a style and color/accent scheme that will complement the other furniture in the room is also important when trying to make a subtle but distinct stylistic impression. Finally, remember that there are three distinct types of lighting: ambient, task, and accent. A sophisticated lighting scheme will incorporate all three types for a balanced effect so be sure to leave room in the budget as costs can add up quicker than you think!

If you are lucky and just love a good fire on cold, winter nights-then maybe you bought a home with a Fireplace. The hearth is an excellent natural focal point of any living room so be sure to remember this when decorating the space. Buying matching fireplace tools, screens, log baskets, and other hearth accessories will unify the area and make it a more natural focal point.

A mantle makes the perfect setting to display treasured keepsakes, family photos, or even a beautiful candelabra. In the winter, you may want to arrange the sofa, chairs, and coffee tables towards this area as it will naturally help concentrate attention while also expanding and unifying the space.

As we age, our culinary interests and skills tend to grow with us. Therefore, it is perfectly natural to want a more organized, refined, and aesthetically pleasing kitchen as we near thirty or beyond. We may want to add a fine wine rack to the space for social gatherings and to bring a little culture to the kitchen area.

Any culinary master will need to organize and store their prized cooking utensils which is why you need to think about adding a pot rack into the kitchen area. A fine pot rack will not only help organize your cooking utensils-it will send a subtle signal to all that enter your domain-Beware, someone in here knows how to cook!

We have not even scratched the surface when it comes to adding style and sophistication to your space. Our five simple ideas (coordinating light fixtures, complementary fireplace tools, decorate mantle, wine rack, pot rack) to bring sophistication to rooms in your home can be incorporated easily and without great expense. Just remember-a more sophisticated home will require a more involved interior design effort!

Pamela Tice
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